Master of Public Health: Course features, institutes, eligibility and job roles

The usefulness of a robust public health system has come to the fore since the beginning of the pandemic. If you want to work in this sector to develop prevention strategies for contagious diseases and to promote physical as well as mental health in the community, a master's course in Public Health will be the ideal starting point.

What is the Master in Public Health course

The Master of Public Health (MPH) course offers a multidisciplinary degree for studies in public health-related fields. It is designed to prioritise public healthcare over research and education. This two-year-long programme is usually divided into four semesters. After doing this postgraduate course, you will become eligible to work in the public health sector at both home and abroad.

Features of the Master of Public Health course:

• The MPH programme aims to train public health administrators who are knowledgeable in the field.

• It covers disease features, prevention and treatment, crisis management, strategic health strategies and regulatory affairs.

• It focuses on developing disease-prevention strategies.

• Candidates who want to advance in the field of Healthcare Management and Administration within a public health organisation will benefit from this course.

Studying Master of Public Health:

• You need at least 50% aggregate in your Class XII board exams in Science stream.

• After that, you need a bachelor's degree in any of the Health Sciences like MBBS, BDS, BPT, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering or other professional courses with at least 50% aggregate.

• On completion of your bachelor’s degree, you need to pursue a master’s degree in Public Health.

Some institutes that offer the Master of Public Health degree:

All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need an MBBS degree including one year of continuously rotating internship training in any medical college recognised by MCI.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.
• Click here to learn more.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need an MBBS degree or an MSc degree in Nursing (with at least 55% marks or equivalent grades) and one year’s experience in community health.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.
• Click here to learn more.

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Three years (including one year’s compulsory internship).
• Eligibility: You need an MBBS degree, including one year of continuous rotating internship training in any medical college recognised by MCI.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.

• Click here to learn more.

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need a bachelor's degree in any branch of Health Sciences recognised by the relevant bodies (preferably an undergraduate degree in Biological, Clinical or Social Sciences, or students from any other discipline with evidence of work in the field of public health) with a minimum of 50% marks.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.
• Click here to learn more.

National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need an MBBS degree, including one year of continuous rotating internship training in any medical college recognised by MCI.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.
• Click here to learn more.

Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPHG), Gujarat

Course: Master of Public Health (MPH).

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need an MBBS degree, including one year of continuous rotating internship training in any Medical college recognised by MCI.
• Admission: You need to clear a national-level entrance exam and a personal interview.
• Click here to learn more.

Job roles with a Master of Public Health degree:

• Healthcare administrator: They are in charge of organising and overseeing all medical services. Their responsibilities include budgeting and maintaining health records.

• Epidemiologist: They are in charge of gathering and evaluating data, which may include observations, interviews, surveys and blood or other bodily fluid samples to determine the causes of a disease or other health issues.

• Bioterrorism researcher: They gather data to detect potential public dangers, identify means to ensure public safety, work with policymakers to set safety protocols and develop tactics for a swift response to bioterrorist strikes.

• Health informatics specialist: They aren't usually seen wandering the halls of hospitals or engaging with patients. However, as computers and technology become more prevalent, they play an increasingly vital part in the medical care we get.

• Biosecurity specialist: They design strategies and new procedures to ensure that a region's population has a safety routine to follow in the event of any biological emergency or risk.